Cookies and Cream Macarons
These cookies and cream macarons are a unique and elevated twist on a classic store-bought cookie. This foolproof French macaron recipe is easy to follow and sets you up for success!
Equipment
- Stand mixing bowl with whisk and paddle attachment
- large mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- 18 inch piping bag
- Silicone baking mat
- baking tray
Ingredients
Oreo Crumb Ingredients
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Shell Ingredients
- 124 grams powdered sugar
- 140 grams blanched almond meal
- 110 grams granulated sugar
- 107 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 drops black Americolor gel food coloring
Frosting Ingredients
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon 2 % milk
- ½ cup Oreo crumb or crushed store bought Oreos
Instructions
Making the Oreo Crumb
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder, and melted butter and mix with a spoon to combine until it clumps together. Bake at 300 F/149 C on a lined baking tray for 20 minutes, then allow to cool completely before using.
Making the Macarons
- Line an upside down pan with a silicone baking mat and fit a piping bag with a small #12 Wilton round tip, then set them both aside. In a medium bowl, sift the almond meal and powdered sugar into a larger bowl and discard any large pieces. Set aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, add the egg whites and begin whisking on medium speed (speed 3-4) for 1-2 minutes. When the whites get foamy, add the cream of tartar.
- Sprinkling the sugar by the spoonful into the whites as they whip. Increase the speed to medium (speed 4-5) and whip for about 4 minutes, then add 3 drops of the food coloring. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
- Add the whipped egg whites to a large bowl and add ⅓ of the almond meal/sugar mixture. Fold very gently with a spatula until combined. Continue until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Scrape the batter against the side of the bowl with the spatula. Every few scrapes, pick up the batter and let it fall into the bowl. The batter should flow slowly in a continuous ribbon. Try to make a figure 8 with the batter. If it falls without breaking, it's ready.
- Pipe the batter directly over the top of the baking tray, then drop the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the tops of the shells with some of the Oreo crumbs, then set the pan aside to dry and form a skin, about 30-60 minutes, or until you can touch the tops without it leaving an impression.
- While the shells rest, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F/149 C. (If your oven is on the hotter side a lower temperature might be better ie: 275-285)
- Bake each tray for about 12-14 minutes. The shells are done baking when you can gently touch the top of the shell and it barely budges from the foot. Let the tray cool completely on a wire rack before removing the shells and filling.
Making the Frosting
- Mix the butter in a mixing bowl on low for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, then add the powdered sugar in a half cup at a time until it's all incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and whip until very white and fluffy, then add the milk and mix to combine.
- Stop the mixer and add the Oreo crumb. Mix on low until the crumb is just combined.
- Match up the macaron shells and pipe about 1 tablespoon of the frosting onto one half of the shell. Sandwich with the other shell. Place them in an airtight container and let them mature in the fridge overnight or at least 12 hours to soften before enjoying!
Notes
Step by step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond meal- blanched almond meal is required for this recipe for success. I love buying mine in bulk from Costco or Bob's Red Mill as they have the best high quality meal.
- Gel food coloring- this recipe calls for black gel food coloring. You can substitute black powder but you should never use liquid coloring.
- Oreo crumb- this recipe is unique and makes the delicious Oreo cookie crumb from scratch! If desired, you can buy Oreos, scoop out the filling and crush them into crumbs to use.
Expert Tips for Perfect Macarons
- Use almond meal, not almond flour- almond flour is not as fine as almond meal and you will have little brown specks in your shells.
- Use a kitchen scale- the ratio of ingredients is the most important key to success. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for success!
- Wipe your bowl with vinegar- before mixing the egg whites, dampen a paper towel with a bit of white vinegar to ensure it is free from any fat residue which can prevent your eggs from whipping.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks- not whipping the egg whites long enough can result in a whole bunch of macaron problems.
- Gently fold the batter- using a rubber spatula is required for macaron success. It is the only tool that is gentle enough to fold the batter to the right consistency.
- Use an upside down baking pan- my favorite trick for perfect macarons is turning the pan upside down to prevent hollow or exploded shells.
- Don't skip resting them- resting the shells is required in order for the feet to form at the bottom of the shell when baking.
- Let them mature overnight- once filled and assembled, let the macrons mature in the fridge overnight. This will soften the shells and marry the flavors together for the best texture.